Today’s Pattern Story and Sale: McCall’s 4598

Stripes: And I look like a cross between grandpa's pajamas, a deranged candy-striper, and a poodle, right?

Pink: You know it, girl.

Stripes: Allllll riiiiiight! We are going to pull tonight!

Today's pattern is from Jen at MOMSPatterns — she's running a BIG SALE: 30% off all patterns at (not including the pattern above, which is priceless, I'm afraid). The sale runs until the end of February (or until the more than 500 patterns that are on sale are gone) and as always, free shipping on 5 or more patterns …

As for me, I think I'll be looking for the pattern above in my size. In wide black and white stripes it will make the best "Escape from Fashion Alcatraz" costume EVER.

I like how some of the early patterns state a purpose – housewife blouse, afternoon skirt, secretary dress, etc. – as if women in those days couldn’t figure out on their own where or when to wear a particular garment.

If we women wore these dresses instead of low waisted, crack revealing, stomach-bulging-under-my-shirt denim pants, it would be a huge improvement! No matter how silly these might look, it’s a lot more complimentary than the just described uniforms of today!
If you biggen the pattern it says this is a ‘brunch coat’. See. We needed that info or we’d all still be wondering.
Life was so much more gracious….I’m 43 and I still miss the good old days!

I’m with Karen: I miss life being more gracious. I would love to have a brunch coat. Here’s how I think I would use a brunch coat. First thing on a Sunday morning, I would get up and scurry to the kitchen, and make coffee, juice, and a baked dish involving eggs and homemade bread and cinnamon(like a french toast casserole?). Once my baked dish was in the oven, I’d put my hair in hot rollers, have my bath/shower, dress in my proper undergarments, complete with hose, and then powder my nose and put on lipstick, slip into my brunch coat (with matching slippers), and then back downstairs to wash and cut fresh fruit. I’d call the family to the table, and warn them not to linger too long. After dining together, I would hie back upstairs to put on my church dress and shoes, take out my rollers, comb out and spray, refresh my lipstick, put a fresh hankie in my matching clutch, find my white gloves, and off we go (to the late service, of course!) And that is how I would use a brunch coat!